Disposable lip-cosmetic applicator



March 14, 1967 M. P. SELLECK 3,308,837

DISPOSABLE LIP-COSMETIC APPLICATOR Filed July 9, 1964 INVENTOR.

ma Marion Porter" 52L1ed AGENT United States Patent 3,308,837 DISPOSABLE LIP- ()SMETIC APPLICATOR Marion Porter Selleck. 9 Mountainville Road, Danbury, Conn. 06810 Filed July 19, 1964, Ser. No. 381,372 2 Claims. (Cl. 132--88.7)

This invention relates to cosmetic applicators for applying make-up to lips, and more particularly to applicators of the throw-away type, which have a short time or single use.

Heretofore various types of short-time use cosmetic applicators have' been proposed and provided, for applying make-up to the lips. One type of prior applicator was somewhat in the form ofa matchbook, but instead of matches the applicator had a stack of individual sheets printed with advertising material and which were provided at their free ends with cosmetic material such as lip rouge, to be used in applying make-up or dressing to the lips. The sheets had tear lines, and it was intended that the user tear off the sheets and use the coated ends to freshen the make-up on the lips. In the book, possibly a dozen or so of such sheets were provided, and after one use the sheet would be discarded. The sheets were specified as being of a thin but suitably stiff sheet material of good quality. The thickness was probably the equivalent of a heavy or stiff drawing paper. In applying the lip rouge, one such strip or sheet was used at a time, and the user had to cope with the relatively thin unwieldy body of the sheet, which was a dsadvantage in many circumstances.

Another prior cosmetic applicator comprised a package having a zig-zag folded strip with shaped deposits of lipstick material at the folds, and with perforation or tear lines by which parts of the folded strip with the cosmetic material could be severed from the package and discarded after use. The folded strip was supported by the container with portions in an angular position, and the lips were applied to the cosmetic deposit carried by the supported portions of the strip. When it is desired to replenish the supply of rouge, the used strip portions were torn from the zig-zag folded pack, and other portions were pulled up from the top of the pack and positioned angularly to place them in readiness for use. This type of device had a drawback in that it was too large to be conveniently carried in a purse, or to be dispensed from a machine, and also that the placement'of the cosmetic material was such that smearing of the lips occurred at the corners of the mouth.

A third type of lip cosmetic applicator comprised a single thin plate of somewhat triangular shape, having cosmetic material coated on one side. A protective cover sheet was provided for the cosmetic material, and the user had to remove such cover sheet prior to placing the device in use. This sometimes was difiicult to do for the reason that the cover sheet could not be easily grasped. Also, disposal of the somewhat smeared cover sheet was necessary, which presented another problem. And, the thinness of the body portion of the applicator at times made it difiicult to effect the proper application as well as resulting in sharp edges which tended to cut or chafe the lips.

A still fourth type of applicator for lipstick comprised a multi-part shaped and folded form having cutouts similar to a stencil, which cutouts were covered by a mesh or fabric of a coarse nature. In conjunction with this stencil type device an applicator sheet was used, having the cos metic substance or rouge which was forced through the rnesh fabric onto the lips when the stencil was held in place. This device was cumbersome, and not of the type "ice which could be readily carried in a womens bag or purse, or machine dispensed.

The present invention obviates the disadvantages of these prior devices, and one object of the invention is to provide an improved applicator of the type indicated, which is self-covering or self-protecting in that there is not required the use of cover sheets as such, and yet which is instantly arranged or converted to usable condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved lip make-up applicator as above set forth, which is extremely simple in construction and low in cost, whereby it readily constitutes a limited or one-time use, throwaway article.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved lip make-up applicator in accordance with the foregoing, which is especially small and compact, whereby it may be readily dispensed by coin-operated machines, and also may be conveniently carried in a ladies handbag or purse.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved applicator for lip make-up as above set forth, wherein the cosmetic material or coating for one lip is covered or enclosed by a like coating intended for use on the other lip, and wherein the two coatings while facing each other are normally kept apart. However, although the coatings are arranged to be apart, should they inadvertently contact one another, the entire initial quantity which was applied to the body sheet will still be preserved and available for use.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved lip make-up applicator as characterized, wherein smearing of corner portions of the mouth is avoided or eliminated entirely.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved lip make-up applicator as described, wherein the body member which carries the cosmetic coating constitutes a spaced double thickness construction which provides increased strength and rigidity without requiring appreciable thickness of the sheet material.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters of reference are used to designate like components throughout the several views, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lip make-up applicator device in the closed or storage condition.

FIG. 2 is a view of the device in partially opened condition, as effected as onewould open a book of matches.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the body sheet or member carrying the cosmetic make-up substance in the form of two separate coatings.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation showing the device in reversely folded condition with the cosmetic coatings being applied to the lips of the user.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 1 but showing a modification of the invention.

Referring first to FIGS. 13, the lip make-up applicator is shown as being very similar to the familiar book of matches, as far as its external appearance and basic body construction is concerned. The applicator comprises a disposable one-piece prepared sheet designated generally by the numeral 10, the said sheet being in the form of an elongate bendable sheet-like body 12 having a fold line or hinge 14 extending transversely of its length.

The body 12 is reversibly foldable about the fold line 14.

and back portions) are thus not disposed substantially flat against and contacting each other. Howeventhe inner sides are juxtaposed and in facing relation. To effect the bowed shape, the distance from the fold line 14 to a staple "19 of the back portion 18 is made slightly less than the length of the cover portion 16 (measured from the told 14 to the edge 16x of the cover portion). The single fold line 14 is important in this respect, as distinguished from double fold lines; it is also important in effecting proper location and orientation of cosmetic de posits (shortly to be described) when the device is reversely folded as in FIG. 4. When the edge 16x abuts the staple 19 as in FIG. 1, the cover portion 16 is still bowed as shown and cannot flatten, due to its greater length as compared to the'distance of the fold line 14 from the staple, and this maintains the cosmetic deposits separated, as explained later.

In accordance with the present invention, on the said inner sides of the cover and back portions 16, 18 there is provided a pair of shaped arcuate deposits 20, 22 of cosmetic material such as lip rouge, lip wax and the like, such deposits being normally kept apart even though they are on the mutually facing inner sides of the cover and back portions, and said deposits being adapted for at least partial transference to the lips when forcibly brought in contact therewith. The arcuate deposits 20, 22 are disposed with their concave edges 24, 26 respectively nearest the fold line 14, as compared with the convex edges 28, 30.

Also, in accordance with the invention, the ends or extremities 32, 34 and 36, 38 of the coatings 20, 22 respectively are spaced from the fold line 14, and I have found that this is of considerable importance and utility in minimizing the likelihood of smearing of the cosmetic material around the comers of the mouth at the time that the applicator is being placed in use as indicated in FIG. 4.

For such use, the sheet-like body 12 is unfolded about the single fold line 14 from the position of FIGpI through an arc of 360 to bring the cover and back portions 16,

18 thereof in back-to-back relation as-indicated in FIG. 4, with the deposits 20, 22 outermost and in proper position for application to the lips of the user.

It will be noted from an inspection of FIG. 4that the applicator is then constituted of two spaced thicknesses of the sheet-likebody 12, whereby there is had a more rigid structure and one which may be more easily grasped and held by the fingers, and which will yield to a lesser extent in response to the pressures involved in applying the cosmetic material to the lips. This is of considerable advantage, and enables the applicator to be constituted of sheet material having a thickness commensurate with that of an ordinary book of matches.

Moreover, by virtue of the spacing of the end portions 32, 34, 36,38 of the deposits of lip rouge from the fold line 14 being appreciable as shown, there is greatly reduced the likelihood of smearing of the cosmetic substance at the corners of the mouth as aforesaid, and this is an important advantage since the appearance of the lips after applying the make-up must be impeccable or faultless.

For the purpose of retaining the body sheet in the folded non-use or storage position and in bowed condi- 11011 as shown in FIG. 1, a folded flap 40 may be provided, retained in place by the staple 19. Or, as illustrated by a modification of the invention shown in FIG. 5, the back portion 18a may be provided with a slit, form- :ing a flexible or resilient tab 44 arranged to overlie the free end of the cover portion 16a. In each instance the cover portion 16 or 16a is kept bowed by the staple 19 or tab 44 when the device is not in use, thereby keeping apart the coatings 20, 22 of cosmetic material.

An important advantage of the applicator construction as provided by the invention resides in the fact that o ovable rover sheet is needed to protect the cosmetic deposits 20, 22 and accordingly there is obviated the troublesome task of peeling off such protective sheet. Instead, with the arrangement provided by the invention each arcuate-shaped deposit of cosmetic material overlies and protects the other, and each may contact the other whereby upon the applicator being opened there will be no loss whatsoever of the total cosmetic substance. Moreover, due to the nature of such coatings whereby the material of one coating does not tend to adhere to the material of the other coating, the original deposits will in most circumstances remain intact insofar as the total amount of rouge or make-up substance in each is concerned. That is, there will be no transfer of cosmetic substance from one coating to the other, due to the tendency for such coatings to readily separate without stickmg.

The fact that the two coatings 20, 22 are mirror images of each other as seen in FIG. 3 whereby they exactly overlie each other is an important feature in connection with the tendency for the coatings to not adhere one to the other, even though they may contact each other. A distinct protection is afforded, avoiding loss of coatings, by virtue of identical configurations which are precisely symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the fold line 14.

The invention thus has the advantages of compactness, small size, simplicity and extremely low cost, whereby it constitutes an ideal coin-machine dispensed'item and throw-away article while at the same time having considerable utility in enabling the user to quickly and conveniently refresh lip make-up. The applicator is easily and quickly put into use by a simple movement not much different from that employed in opening a book of matches. The user merely opens the book-shaped applicator as indicated in FIG. 2, and reversely bends the body portion to bring the cover and back portions thereof back-to-back, as shown in FIG. 4. Whenin this position, the applicator is easily handled and manipulated to .apply the cosmetic substance to the lips without messiness. The spacing of the end portions 32, 38 of the coatings from the fold line 14 insures against the user smearing the corners of the mouth during the application of the cosmetic material.

It may thus be seen that I have provided a novel and convenient means to enable hasty yet effective repair of lip dressing or make-up to be effected, without the need for a mirror and with assurance that the lips will be wholly neat. and presentable.

Due to the low cost and small size of the item, it constitutes an ideal article of merchandise of the type intended to be coin-dispensed, and may also be safely and conveniently carried in a ladies purse or handbag.

Variations and modifications maybe made within the scope of the claims, and portions of the improvements may be made without others.

I claim:

1. A disposable one-piece prepared sheet for applying cosmetic make-up to lips comprising, in combination: (a) an elongate bendable sheet-like body having a fold line,

(b) said body being reversibly foldable about said line and having portions of appreciable expanse on opposite sides of said fold line,

(c) said body being normally folded about said line with the said two portions disposed flatwise to each other and with the inner sides of said portions juxtaposed and facing each other,

(d) means releasably holding said portions in the said folded condition, and

(e) a pair of shaped, substantially identical arcuate deposits of cosmetic material symmetrically located on said facing inner sides of the portions with respect to said fold line, said deposits being adapted for at least partial transfer to the lips when forcibly brought in contact therewith by reversely folding 5 6 the body through a 360 arc to bring the portions the two portions of the sheet-like body comprises a therefor back-to-back with the deposits outermost fiexi'ble tab struck out from one body portion and and then applying the reversely-folded body between overlying the other body portion. the lips, (f) said deposits being disposed with their concave 5 References Cited y the Examine! edges nearest to the fold line and with their ends UN T D STATES PATENTS spaced from the fold line to minimize likelihood of smearing of cosmetic material around the corners of 53: 52 the mouth, and the symmetrical disposition and 2735435 2/1956 F n e 2 g; 7 identical shaping of the coatings preevnting loss of 1 ems em n coating material to adjoining surfaces of the said two FOREIGN PATENTS body portions if said portions are forced together 43 4 1952 France bringing the coatings in contact with each other, I

When th body i f l RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: (a) the means releasibly holding in folded condition MCNEILL AsslsmntExammer' 

1. A DISPOSABLE ONE-PIECE PREPARED SHEET FOR APPLYING COSMETIC MAKE-UP TO LIPS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) AN ELONGATE BENDABLE SHEET-LIKE BODY HAVING A FOLD LINE, (B) SAID BODY BEING REVERSIBLY FOLDABLE ABOUT SAID LINE AND HAVING PORTIONS OF APPRECIABLE EXPANSE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FOLD LINE, (C) SAID BODY BEING NORMALLY FOLDED ABOUT SAID LINE WITH THE SAID TWO PORTIONS DISPOSED FLATWISE TO EACH OTHER AND WITH THE INNER SIDES OF SAID PORTIONS JUSTAPOSED AND FACING EACH OTHER, (D) MEANS RELEASABLY HOLDING SAID PORTIONS IN THE SAID FOLDED CONDITION, AND (E) A PAIR OF SHAPED, SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL ARCUATE DEPOSITS OF COSMETIC MATERIAL SYMMETRICALLY LOCATED ON SAID FACING INNER SIDES OF THE PORTIONS WITH RESPECT TO SAID FOLD LINE, SAID DEPOSITS BEING ADAPTED FOR AT LEAST PARTIAL TRANSFER TO THE LIPS WHEN FORCIBLY BROUGHT IN CONTACT THEREWITH BY REVERSELY FOLDING THE BODY THROUGH A 360* ARC TO BRING THE PORTIONS THEREFOR BACK-TO-BACK WITH THE DEPOSITS OUTERMOST AND THEN APPLYING THE REVERSELY-FOLDED BODY BETWEEN THE LIPS, (F) SAID DEPOSITS BEING DISPOSED WITH THEIR CONCAVE EDGES NEAREST TO THE FOLD LINE AND WITH THEIR ENDS SPACED FROM THE FOLD LINE TO MINIMIZE LIKELIHOOD OF SMEARING OF COSMETIC MATERIAL AROUND THE CORNERS OF THE MOUTH, AND THE SYMMETRICAL DISPOSITION AND IDENTICAL SHAPING OF THE COATINGS PREVENTING LOSS OF COATING MATERIAL TO ADJOINING SURFACES OF THE SAID TWO BODY PORTIONS IF SAID PORTIONS ARE FORCED TOGETHER BRINGING THE COATINGS IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER, WHEN THE BODY IS FOLDED. 